Huo Shou's lips immediately curled into a slight smile. He didn't head into the market, instead, he took out a neatly wrapped roll case from the front of his chest.
"This is for you."
Huang Qi did not take it: "What is it this time?"
He looked somewhat suspiciously at the object in Huo Shou's hand, guessing it was probably something like a hairpin or a piece of jade. Weren't the things people gave to curry favor usually those kinds of items?
Huang Qi had heard from Ji Taoyu earlier that Northerners were direct, and today he was gaining a deep understanding of it.
Ever since this person brought those medicinal herbs last time and said those words, he hadn't made the slightest effort to hide his intentions.
He showed up at the medical hall every few days. One day it was an arrow wound on his hand, another day it was a scraped leg from falling off a horse. He would just wait in the medical hall for Huang Qi to bandage him, not looking the least bit like a patient. When he saw Huang Qi coming to bandage him, he would grin foolishly and, like a magician performing tricks, pull out things from his person to give to him—snacks, small trinkets—never the same thing twice.
Huang Qi was both angry and somewhat annoyed. This blunt, foolish lad clearly had no regard for his own body. How could a physician stand to see this?
A few days ago, he seized an opportunity to scold him severely.
"You're young and don't cherish your health, tormenting yourself like this. You'll regret it when you're old and plagued by illnesses."
"These childish antics of yours not only hurt yourself but also waste the medical staff's time and take away from seeing other patients. Is that proper?"
He said a lot of harsh words with a serious expression. Huo Shou's face didn't look good—that day, he left without saying a word, his face dark.
After he left, he didn't come to the medical hall for quite a few days. Huang Qi felt a bit unsettled in his heart. He tossed and turned, thinking maybe he had been too harsh with his words.
After all, Huo Shou was a full four years younger than him. It was normal for someone of that age to be somewhat immature and to act inappropriately at times. He realized he should have just talked to him properly. He regretted having spoken so harshly merely because he was angry, as it had ended up hurting the young man's pride.
He had been thinking of finding an opportunity to apologize to him, but unexpectedly, Huo Shou had blocked his way again.
"Take a look."
Huo Shou saw Huang Qi spacing out, not knowing what he was thinking.
He simply grabbed his hand directly and placed the case in his palm: "See if you like this one."
Huang Qi snapped back to attention. He still tried to open the roll case. Unexpectedly, inside was a row of silver needles.
His brow twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but be surprised: "This..."
"Earlier, I noticed you didn't seem very interested in the things I gave you. I really couldn't think of what else to give you. I happened to see this and thought you might still find it somewhat useful, so I brought it."
Huo Shou said: "In a while, I'll be taking the merchant caravan out, and I'll be gone for a long time. I made you unhappy a few days ago. If I didn't come to apologize, I'd feel uneasy the whole way."
Huang Qi opened his mouth, but for a moment, he didn't know how to express his feelings.
Actually, for someone as somewhat obtuse and with such strong self-esteem as Huo Shou, to think of buying things to curry favor was already surprising to him. This time, he had actually put so much thought into coming to please him. How could his feelings not be complicated?
"Last time, I went too far with what I said. I shouldn't have been so..."
"What you said wasn't wrong. I really don't consider things thoroughly enough, I lack some steadiness. I'll try to change and improve in the future. If you have anything to say, just tell me directly like before. I think that's good."
Huo Shou said: "If you forgive me, then take this."
Huang Qi looked at the roll case in his hand and nodded slightly.
"From now on, use this to perform acupuncture on people. Every time you use it, you can think of me once."
Huo Shou said: "That way, even if I'm gone for too long, you won't forget me."
Huang Qi's ears felt warm: "Don't talk nonsense."
"Am I talking nonsense?"
Huo Shou darted in front of Huang Qi, walking backwards to face him: "So you mean, even if I leave, you won't forget me."
Huang Qi avoided the topic: "Walk properly. Be careful you don't bump into someone."
"Don't worry, I won't bump into anyone. Just answer me, yes or no."
"Yes, yes, yes. Is that enough?"
"Really?"
Huo Shou suddenly stopped walking. Huang Qi almost bumped right into him. Sensing the excited and intense gaze directed at him, Huang Qi's heartbeat became somewhat erratic. He tried to avoid this burning stare, but his hand was suddenly grasped.
Huang Qi abruptly lifted his eyes and immediately met Huo Shou's gaze: "Wait until I come back from this trip, let's get married."
"...Wh-what!"
Huo Shou repeated, word for word: "I said, when I come back, let's get married."
Huang Qi's face flustered: "I... I've never thought about getting married."
"Isn't this a good time to start thinking about it now?"
Huang Qi quickened his pace: "Physician Huang adopted me since I was little. I vowed to take care of him and show filial piety for my whole life."
Over the years, some people had proposed to him, and he had refused them one by one, precisely because he wanted to stay at the medical hall to repay Huang Yinsheng for his upbringing and teaching all these years.
If it weren't for Physician Huang, he would have frozen to death on a winter night while he was begging. How could he possibly consider starting a family just when he had become capable of taking care of him?
"If we get married, there will only be one more person to show filial piety to Physician Huang. I can even stay at the medical hall in the future. No matter what, I want to be with you."
Huang Qi, hearing the voice behind him, paused his steps slightly.
😍😍😍😍😍😍 Thank you for the update!
ReplyDelete